Charge for travel?

[lruthb]

I have charged for travel for a long time...I never heard others did so I never mentioned it . I was getting too many estimates without the work folowing it. For the estimates that decide to do the work I reemburse the estimate value. I haven't traveled as far as you all do, but I still record my travel. My customers have responded to emails with pics and  the longest wxhxd measurement. They are told this is just a ballpark estimate (on the email ). I've found that this has eliminated the price seekers. The ones that think you should work for nothing. There are customers that are more than happy to pick-up and deliver when they can save some money. So far so good.
My work is mainly furniture, motorcycles, small marine. I also have a partner working outside the home that helps make the slow time not so bad. I tend to hit the pavement when things get slow. Advertising has not produced work for me.
All in all I do pass the buck on travel in the labor. The estimate charge is above and beyond everything else. Isn't it funny how I feel I'm not being fair to my customers when as some of you have stated any other company doesn't bat an eye.

[Willie]

Your charge sounds just fine.  Only thing I would be sure to arrive early enough so that you could spend the rest of the day and evening fishin' in that lake!

[bobbin]

This was a really good thread for me to reread.  And I hope your work has continued to pick up, JoJo, I know the winter months can be brutal in the marine trade. 

I'm not terribly busy but neither have a I "pounded the pavement" in an attempt to rustle up more work.  As Kody. mentioned, I've been paying attention to getting details in order and plodding through mastering tasks on the computer that should be easy but still arent'!   ::)  But it's getting easier, I filed my quarterlies on-line today and I've actually used my laptop to take project notes on jobs I've gone to estimate.  I am now using the Google calendar feature to schedule app'ts., too, and I like it!  Bookkeeping is really easy.  I enter things as they come up and then I put the entire thing in its carrying case along with any paperwork and the checkbook, and simply drop it off with my bookkeeper friend.  Easy-peasy!  When I collect it, we go over things that I don't understand or need to master.

I had forgotten about this thread when I asked about charging extra for in-home slipcover pin fitting and it's bolstered my confidence to do precisely that.  As Lynn pointed out no other service would dream of "eating" that cost in time and mileage, so why should we feel "guilty" about it, when the ball park estimate given via e-mail pictures/measurements saves everyone money and time?

Note to self:  begin a mileage log for the "ride"!  And get a new camera that is easily compatible with this machine.  I needed it last week and regretted not having it!